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Hornby Drummond 700


Robin Brasher

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Putting it in the positive, was it possible a 700 occasionally made it to Wadebridge and even the end of the line at Padstow?

The North Cornwall Railway website doesn't list any IIRC, but they certainly got used to Barnstaple Junction and Okehampton.

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Apparently there was a reported sighting of 30691 hauling the 3.13pm Padstow 'Perishables' in October 1960, but would agree with others, that they were rare west of Oakhampton. During the winter months some of Exmouths allocated 700's were fitted with snowploughs in case they were needed for line clearance duties, but have never seen any photos of them on the North Cornwall line.

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According to a well known Sheffield retailer, the 700s will be in stock next week. And are sold out at Hornby. So order now or forever hold your soldering irons..

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All a bit confusing. One minute they wont be here until July then they are here........Actually not worried.....okay, I am.....want one.....want one.....Nurse! ...Nurse! Fetch the cold spoon!!!

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Interesting thought. Judging by the lack of published photos, I think "very occasionally" might be closer but here's no physical reason why they shouldn't have done so.

 

 

A 700 regularly appears on Mr Greenwood's well-known 2mm FS layout of Wadebridge without attracting adverse comment. 

 

 

John

For my part, I wouldn't dare criticise THAT layout if the owner chose to run a pink Pendolino on it.......

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Interesting thought. Judging by the lack of published photos, I think "very occasionally" might be closer but here's no physical reason why they shouldn't have done so.

 

Most goods trains on the North Cornwall used N Class moguls by the late 50s though T9s (and other 4-4-0s) often figure in earlier photos. A 700 would certainly be suitable to take over a working if the rostered loco failed unless a similar one was available. That may offer a clue, though, as 72A wasn't exactly short of Ns.

 

A 700 regularly appears on Mr Greenwood's well-known 2mm FS layout of Wadebridge without attracting adverse comment. 

 

If it were my layout, I'd run one, just not too frequently......... 

 

John

Put on the way back hat as time on my layout stopped at midnight December 31, 1947. Would the SR not BR have used a 700 down the North Cornwall line Padstow.
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Put on the way back hat as time on my layout stopped at midnight December 31, 1947. Would the SR not BR have used a 700 down the North Cornwall line Padstow.

 

 

Ken: Rule 1 applies. If your SR General Manager wants to send a 700 down the North Cornwall, then let it be so! :)

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Further to my earlier post. I think the reason for 700s very seldom venturing into North Cornwall is easily revealed by quick flip through a few Ian Allan Locoshed books.

 

At least during BR days, it appears that Exmouth Junction was never home to more than three of the class at any one time (had I not looked it up, I would have thought more).

 

Such a small allocation suggests their use on specific regular duties, with probably only two in use most days and the other undergoing maintenance. They were thus heavily outnumbered by Ns, the preferred motive power for the North Cornwall line, with a much higher probability of one being spare in the event of sudden need than there being a 700 in steam with nothing to do.

 

John

Edited by Dunsignalling
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Further to my earlier post. I think the reason for 700s very seldom venturing into North Cornwall is easily revealed by quick flip through a few Ian Allan Locoshed books.

 

At least during BR days, it appears that Exmouth Junction was never home to more than three of the class at any one time (had I not looked it up, I would have thought more).

 

Such a small allocation suggests their use on specific regular duties, with probably only two in use most days and the other undergoing maintenance. They were thus heavily outnumbered by Ns, the preferred motive power for the North Cornwall line, with a much higher probability of one being spare in the event of sudden need than there being a 700 in steam with nothing to do.

 

John

Was it not the case, certainly towards the end of their careers that they were the snowplough locos at 72A?

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Was it not the case, certainly towards the end of their careers that they were the snowplough locos at 72A?

Yes, and they continued to be used as such for some months after they were officially withdrawn!

 

When they finally succumbed, their places were taken by Collett 2251 0-6-0s No's 3205 (now preserved) and 2214 which, I gather, were not much appreciated. 

 

I remember having a slightly fuzzy enprint of the latter pair (with ploughs fitted) on shed taken on a late friend's little Boots Berette camera but I've not seen it in years. 

 

My fondest memories of the Black Motors were weekday mornings in the school holidays when one regularly worked an Exmouth Jn Yard - Yeovil Town goods. It came through Axminster around 10am IIRC. Up goods trains didn't call there (the goods yard was on the down side) but this one usually paused to take water.

 

I don't know why, but I often made the effort to go and see this working even if I wasn't planning to spend the day spotting and they have been one of my favourite locos ever since. I await my two Hornby models with barely concealed glee.

 

John

Edited by Dunsignalling
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Great to hear they are now in the UK.

 

Mine's on order with a popular Liverpool shop. Not heard anything from them, so I assume their order hasn't arrived yet. Very much looking forward to the model.

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Great to hear they are now in the UK.

 

Mine's on order with a popular Liverpool shop. Not heard anything from them, so I assume their order hasn't arrived yet. Very much looking forward to the model.

Mine is on order from the local model shop - I shall have to enquire!

And mine will run in North Cornwall - I have a modeller's licence for that sort of thing :no:

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Australia has on a number of occasions had releases in British outline before the UK.

 

I assume it's to do with shipping.

Might not be down to manufacturer either.

 

However as the price down under is usually several shades away from reality, it doesn't really matter.

 

The strength of the Aussie dollar doesn't help either.

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With the arrival of the 700, it looks like the fate of the Q1 is sealed. Time for the Q1 to move on methinks....

 

 

 

Rob.

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The strength of the Aussie dollar doesn't help either.

You're right there. I recently seen a new R3108 Wellington GWR Castle on eBay from an Australian model shop with a $400+ price tag. Bit optimistic I think

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In the book "The North Devon Line" from Irwell Press, there is a good photo of R3239 (alas 30315) on the Torrington - Feltham Yard goods at Yeofod Jc about 1960.  Presumable, the loco took this as far as Exeter.  So at least this loco was an 72A loco around that time .  On the previous page is No. 30691 on the same working.

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and the photo confirms that Hornby seem to have again got the boiler handrail knobs at the wrong angle like the J15. 

One would think that having got it wrong on the J15, Hornby would check them carefully. The J15 having a 5-pole motor and the Black Motor having the old 3-pole makes me suspect that they come from different factories, which makes it seem rather odd. Dread thought: could it be a production economy? Something to do with releasing the boiler from the mould?

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